Fairy Tale
by Xelona Metallium
Summary: Lina has had her happily-ever-after, but it wasn't as happy or as ever-after as she wished. She now tries to find something to do...
1. Prologue

Prologue  
  
"A long time ago, in a land far away, there lived a young girl. She lived in a small house with her elder sister. The girl's parents had died a long time ago and her sister was all the family she had. But her sister was unkind to the young girl, so the girl turned to others. The girl became a powerful sorceress and practiced while her sister was away. But her sister found out and forbade the young girl's magic. The young girl was unwilling to give it up and so she ran away, at the tender age of 10, from all that she knew and went out into the world.  
  
The young girl became a well-known sorceress in the upper kingdoms, killing bandits to survive. She grew in fame and became known across the lands as Lina Inverse, the Bandit Killer, for Lina was her name. Lina learned all she could and traveled with various companions, who never seemed to stay around for more than a month. Lina had a very short temper and had this tendency to fireball anyone who annoyed her.  
  
One day she met up with another traveling sorceress, a buxom black mage with the name of Naga. Naga was annoying and had a very annoying laugh and an overamplified ego. But Naga also could survive fireballs, so she wandered with Lina for a while. While Naga could be reckless and get into things she shouldn't have just because of her pride, she was also the sort of person who makes a good traveling companion and friend. The two women traveled together for several years, defeating bandits and looting treasure. Sometimes Naga would wander off, but she would always show up again in the next few weeks. Then one day, a few days after Lina's 15th birthday, Naga wandered off and didn't return. Lina waited in the area they had spilt off in, looting all the bandits in the area and generally reducing the crime rate.  
  
After a month of no Naga, Lina left the area to head for Atlas City, the place the two had planed to go, looting bandits all the way. After one rather successful raid, Lina was nice enough to let some live and they followed her, intent to kill her, though they first tried recruiting her. Lina was just about to blast them all to kingdom come when a blond swordsman interrupted the fight and took care of them with his sword. Lina thanked him and made the mistake of telling him where she was going. The swordsman, whose name was Gourry, thought she was a little girl and demanded to come along to protect her. After getting a very large meal, they got rid of a dragon with Lina's strongest spell, the Dragon Slave. They then left the remains of that town, kindly escorted by the angry inhabitants of the town. A few days later, at another restaurant, the two travelers were interrupted by a mummyman and his squad of trolls. After beating them, the two recieved a strange visitor. He was a Chimera, with rocky blue skin and silver hair. He wished to buy an item the sorceress had found, but went away disappointed. Later he tried to get it by force and ended up kidnapping Lina. The Chimera then interrogated her and surprised her by letting her go. Very shortly after that, Lina learned who her real foe was: Rezo, the Red Priest, the famous doer-of-good. He was trying to cure the blindness that had plagued him since birth and needed the legendary philosophers stone that Lina had unknowingly picked up from those bandits. Lina and the chimera soon ran into a mazoku and Gourry saved the day by using the infamous Sword of Light. Shortly thereafter, Rezo showed up and made an offer the three could not refuse. He wanted the Philosophers stone in exchange for the lives of many people. They went to his tower to deal with him and Rezo's true objective was revealed. He wished to revive Shabranigdo in an attempt to cure his blindness. Through sorcery, Rezo managed to get ahold of the Stone and he went off to a large magical circle and started the summoning ceremony. The Red Priest then realized his one mistake. Shabranigdo was reborn within Rezo's body and Rezo was no more. Lina and crew retreated to eat and decide what to do. Then trolls attacked the town they were in and the three fought them off. Shabranigdo soon appeared and the battle began. Lina and the Chimera fought with spells and Gourry fought with his sword of light and all did not go well. Shabranigdo was not scratched by the effort those three put out. Then Lina was handed the sword of light and she found that spells were amplified with it. She cast her most powerful spell, one that drew on the power of L-sama herself, and Shabranigdo was defeated."  
  
The storyteller ended her tale with a large huphf and said, "That's a lot to say. The tale of how the mighty Lina Inverse came to defeat Shabranigdo himself. Good enough for you, kids?", referring to the small band of children clustered in her corner of the inn.  
  
One little girl piped up, "What's the ci..chimera's name? What happened to them?"  
  
"Well, the Chimera's name has been lost to history. As for what happened after that, they went on to many adventures and meet many people, including Princess Amelia of Sairuun, who became a great queen with a brave knight at her side, one of the Mazoku lord's generals, a dragon priestess, and even L- sama herself! But Lina ended her life peaceably with her husband Gourry at her side. Her life was a full one." The storyteller sank against the wall, thinking her tale was done.  
  
The same little girl proved her wrong by asking, "What about the chimera, what happened to him?"  
  
The storyteller sat upright, looked at the children, and said, in a firm voice, "He died saving the one he loved."  
  
The group sat in silence for a few minutes, then a few children got up and left. Then more trickled away until only the little girl was left. Then she too got up and walked back to her parents. The storyteller sank back into her chair, deep in thought.  
  
'Oh, I hate it whenever someone asks me what happened. Zel, why did you have to sacrifice yourself for me!?' Lina Inverse hunched down further into a ball and started to cry.  
  
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Author's note  
  
--  
  
I know this is a little long winded, what with me telling the basic plot of the first three tapes and all, but tough! Don't worry, things will be explained later ^_^. The Slayers don't belong to me. Don't sue me. I've spent all my money on anime. 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
Lina Inverse, Sorceress Supreme, Bandit Killer, and mother of three wandered out of the small town. 'That bunch of kids was rather nice, though that little girl was annoying. She reminded me of me when I was young.' Lina softly chuckled. 'Someday I'll tell the whole story.' Lina had been wandering from village to village for five years now and she'd only been telling people of her four great world-saving adventures. Only a brief mention of her life after she married, that was her way. 'Gourry was nice, but... something was missing.' She frowned, remembering her husband. 'We always seemed to be siblings rather than husband and wife. Always fighting, tending to pick on each other. It's a miracle our sons were born, considering how little we acted like we loved each other.' All three of her sons had been disappointing, choosing to be farmers rather than adventurers. They were sweet boys, taking after their father. Her third grandchild had been born three months before Gourry's death and five months before her departure.  
  
It was a relief to be on the road again. This was where she belonged, ransacking bandits for money and generally saving the world. Zel would have liked this, she thought, He always liked traveling. She stopped. 'Why did I think of him? He's been dead for thirty years. Sheesh, has it been that long? Doesn't seem like it. I still miss him though. It's been so long since I've had an intelligent talk with someone. Sometimes I wish I hadn't turned down his proposal,' she winced. Zelgadiss had told her how he loved her about a week before that failed mission. They had found a dungeon and were searching for treasure when a mazoku popped in out of nowhere and fired a blast at her. Zel was the only one fast enough to move in front of her and he didn't have the time to put up a shield. 'At least I hope it was because he didn't have time and not because he didn't bother... Stop that Lina. I don't want to get into that cycle again. Zel choose to fling himself in front of me, whether or not he did it because he couldn't live without me doesn't matter.'  
  
Lina turned a corner on the road and noticed a bandit hideout nearby. It wasn't very well hidden, but it didn't seem to need to be. The entrance was small and well protected and it seemed to be the only way in. 'Oooo! Target practice!' Lina brightened. She hadn't been running into too many bandits nowadays, something, or someone, was discouraging them. She started towards the hideout, then stopped. 'Maybe I should drop this illusion. I mean, it's been twenty years since I put it on to hide my youth.' Her gray hair changed to blazing red and the wrinkles around her eyes disappeared. Gourry wouldn't have understood why he aged and she didn't. 'He wouldn't have liked the fact that my Nightmare magic makes me almost immortal. No wonder it rarely shows up.' Now a young girl looking about 15, Lina wandered up to the gate.  
  
"Hi!," she said to the gate guards, "Give me all your treasure and I'll let you live!" The gate guards stared at her for a moment and started to laugh. "What can a little girl like you do?!," a guard said, smiling confidently. "This!," Lina said and cast a fireball that incinerated all the guards. She headed into the hideout, toasting bandits left and right. Grabbing a random bandit, she demanded to know where the boss was. The bandit pointed a shaking hand at a door in the side of the cliff. She went to the door and blasted it open. Treasure glittered, covering the floor. A man stood there, hood concealing his face and a staff in hand. A familiar staff. "Xelloss!? What are you doing here?!" Lina stared at the priest as he quickly removed his hood and looked at her. "Lina?! What are YOU doing here?! I thought it was- I mean, I thought you were happily married to Gourry!"  
  
"Gourry's dead, I'm adventuring, and why are you running a bandit gang?!"  
  
"It's a long story. You see I'm-"  
  
"Dad! I've found you!" A voice rang through the room and Lina turned to see a young girl standing in the doorway. Her violet hair was about shoulder length and her bangs almost reached her eyes. She wore a simple burgundy outfit and cloak and had a sword on her hips. Wandering into the room, she glared at Xelloss. "Dad, you could have told me you would have a guest today. It was really boring just dealing with the few bandits left after she attacked!" The girl pointed at Lina, who was standing there, eye twitching.  
  
"Dad? You have a kid? When did THAT happen?" Lina glared at Xelloss.  
  
"About 16 years ago," he responded, "Lina, this is my daughter Xelona. Xelona, this is your Aunt Lina."  
  
"O.K., so you have a teenaged daughter named Xelona and- Wait a second. Aunt Lina? That means that she's... and you and sis..." Lina fainted.  
  
-----  
  
Author's note  
  
Confusing, ne? Don't worry, things will be explained. The Slayers don't belong to me. Try to ignore the evil things I do with them. 


	3. Chapter 2

Fairy Tale  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
  
Bed...  
  
warm...  
  
soft...  
  
comfy...  
  
light...  
  
owwww...  
  
Lina threw her pillow over her eyes to try to block out the blazing sunlight that streamed through the window. 'Sheesh, what a nightmare. Imagine Xelloss and sis getting together and having a kid. SCARY!' She started to fall back asleep, but was interrupted by the sound of tea simmering away. Her stomach growled loud enough to wake the dead. Luckily, there wasn't a cemetery nearby, so she wouldn't have to worry about any grumpy zombies. Sitting up, she tried to recall when she last ate. "Let's see... I had a meal at the inn around noon, then I went to a bandit cave where..." Lina's eyes widened and she quickly hopped out of the bed and pushed aside the door flap that separated her room from the outside. Her nightmare was reality. Sitting around a small fire were Xelloss and Xelona, eating some fish while tea heated by the fire. Hearing a noise, Xelona turned around and said "Morning! Want some fish?" She held out a fish, foolish enough to offer food to Lina, who nearly took off Xelona's hand as she grabbed the fish, gulping it down in an instant. Then Lina gagged. "Ak! Raw fish! How can you eat raw fish!" She grabbed the tea pot and poured the warm water down her throat. Xelona and Xelloss chuckled. "Cooking ruins the flavor." they chorused, as if they'd said it many times before. They grinned at each other, eyes completely invisible. Lina grabbed some of the fish and stuck them on sticks, which she put by the fire. She then sat by Xelloss and grabbed him in a headlock. "Ok, Xelloss, start talking! How did sis and you get together and why are you running a bandit gang? Well?!" He chuckled and replied "Well... That's a secret!" Lina tightened her grasp. "Ok, ok, I'll talk! Let me breathe!!" Xelona laughed out loud at the sight of her father being forced to talk. "You're the first person I've seen who's been able to get him to talk! Other than Mom and myself, of course." Lina glared at her, but allowed Xelloss some air.  
  
After taking a deep breath, he began. "Well, I guess I'll have to start right after we split up after getting rid of Valgaav. I went to report to Mistress Beastmaster and she decided to set me to watching the Knight of Cephied, who you know is your sister Luna. I think she just wanted to get back at me for going off and doing so much to save the world that she decided to put me on that boring and useless job. Anyway, I was just sitting in a tree outside the inn Luna works in when all of a sudden my mazoku powers were cut off without a trace, jolting me as if-" "What!? But that's impossible! Even if you lost your powers, you still can tell that you have them, you just can't use them! And you can't tell that you lost them until you try to use them!" Lina interrupted. Xelloss just smiled. "It's true, as impossible as it might seem. Mazoku powers are so tied into us that the loss is physical, mental and magical. That sharp jolt of losing my powers sent me tumbling out of the tree even as the shock sent me into deep unconsciousness. I woke up to find myself in a bed, arms hurting excruciatingly, though wrapped up in casts. I just laid there, adjusting to the pain of the arms and to the pain that seemed to infuse my entire being. Losing my powers basically made me too close to mortal for my liking. Anyway, after some time, a doctor came into the room. He started re-bandaging me while babbling away, talking about how lucky I was that I only broke my arms and that Miss Luna found me. He soon left, leaving me even more confused then I was when I woke up. Soon Luna came in and said "Well, you're finally awake. Luckily for you I saw you under that tree. Poor boy, breaking your arms from falling out of a tree. Must have given you quite a shock. You've been asleep for two whole days. Now stop smiling at me and tell me who you are and what's your name." She glared at me, so I said "Me name's John Doe and I wes jest looking fer apples up in that there tree." and smiled. She smiled back and replied "Ok, "John", how about giving me your real name and why a mazoku like you have been sitting in that tree for three weeks?" She glared and I replied "Watching your beautiful face." She gave me a death glare and said "Your name?" Laughing, I said "Ok, ok, don't kill me. It's..." She looked on expectantly, so I continued with "A secret!" and wagged my finger at you. She sat back and laughed. "Why am I not surprised YOU would end up falling out of my tree, Xelloss Metallium." Turns out she had been keeping an eye on you and looked up your companions. Oh well, that's what I get for being predictable. Anyway, we hit it off and ended up 'ahem' with Xelona here. I've been out here training her by forming bandit groups and having her attack them. That was Luna-chan's idea. She figured you would be out adventuring again sooner or later and thought the best place to meet up with you was in a bandit group, making trouble. And that's my tale. Any questions?"  
  
Lina just blinked as he pulled himself out of her loose grasp. "But... how did you lose your powers? Do you have them now?" He sat back chagrined. "Nope! Only powers I have are some human ones. I can handle a Dragon Slave but not much stronger. No clue how I lost them, either. It's been 30 years since I lost my powers and I spent the first ten looking for clues and also for any other mazoku who lost their powers. There has been no sign of any mazoku, powerless or not. Then I kind of got caught up in romance and then marriage and, of course, fatherhood. Had barely even a minute to look. But now that I'm on the road again, I'll have to ask around. So what have you been up to?" Lina, completely poleaxed, just stared for a few seconds, then said "Oh! I've just been working on the farm with Gourry ever since we got married. Our oldest boy and his family are running it now, so I'm off adventuring again. Thought I'd go see how Sylphiel has been doing, then head to Sairuun to see the ruling family. Wanna come? It'd be nice to travel with people again." Xelloss and Xelona, who had just been sitting there enjoying the tale of how her parents met both agreed and they picked up the camp and got on the road again.  
  
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Author's Note:  
  
Slayers don't belong to me and that's what I have to say. Lots of background this time, more action next time. 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
The sun shone bright as the three travelers walked through the forest. Lina was at the front, red hair radiant in the sunlight. Xelloss and Xelona walked behind her, trying to keep up with the exuberant redhead, who had a fast pace. Lina turned around and looked at the two stragglers. "Come on, slowpokes! I'm not THAT fast! If we hurry, we can make it to the next town in time for dinner!" She quickened her pace and headed onward. Xelloss quickly went on, but Xelona stood there, panting. "Yea right 'not fast'! She could out pace a wolf with that speed! How does she do it! Hey! Wait up!" Xelona ran after her father and aunt. Then, right in front of her, a young girl popped out of the woods. Her long wavy green hair fluttered as the two girls collided and fell to the ground. "Owwww..." they said, simultaneously.  
  
Meanwhile, Xelloss and Lina, having not noticed that Xelona had been left behind, were talking. "Now, Xelloss, you know black teas are much better than green!" said Lina.  
  
"Now, now, Lina, green teas have a much subtler and much better flavor. Anyone with sense could tell that." Xelloss responded.  
  
"Nonono! Green teas are too weak! Black teas have a robust flavor that can finish even the largest of meals!"  
  
"No, Lina, black teas all taste the same, much too strong. Green teas can have many exquisite flavors just by adding the barest hint of another herb or even fruit. Oh, Lina, something just occurred to me. You said Gourry's dead, right?"  
  
Lina looked confused and responded with a tentative "yes...and?" Xelloss continued, "Well, didn't he have elf blood in him from his grandmother? Wouldn't that keep him alive for over a century?"  
  
Lina thought about it for a second and said "It was his great-grandmother, I think. Anyway, even though he did have elf blood in him, it was rather diluted. Though I think he was starting to stop aging around age 50, maybe, so he might have lived for quite a while, if he hadn't caught pneumonia."  
  
"Oh? How?"  
  
Lina looked down for a moment and then continued, "Our little grand- daughter, Elisa, had got caught out in the snow during a blizzard and Gourry went out to find her. He managed to get her back alright, but he, being older, got too cold and fell sick. He died nine days later."  
  
They walked in silence for a minute, then Xelloss realized he hadn't heard Xelona for a while. Turning around, he didn't see her. "Where'd Xelona go?" said Lina, noticing she was gone. They went back up the hill they had just descended and saw Xelona and another girl picking themselves off the ground. "Wonder who Xelona bumped into?" said Xelloss. "Donno! Let's check it out" responded Lina. The walked towards the girls who had started to laugh almost hysterically. "I- hahaha- wanted to-heeheehee- find someone- haaa- to direct me but I didn't expect to bump into anyone out here!" said the green-haired girl in between laughs. Then a shadow crossed over her and she looked up to find Lina and Xelloss standing over her. Xelona stood up and dusted herself off. "So, watcha doing that you had to run into us, miss...?" she said. The green-haired girl stood up as well and scratched behind her head. "Well... I'm kinda lost... and I'm Adrie- I mean, I'm Adri. Pleased to meet you." She did a polite little bow. "Lost? How?" said Xelona, perplexed.  
  
"I kinda took a shortcut and, well..."  
  
"And got yourself lost." finished Lina. "Oh well, Adri, I guess we can help you get home if-"  
  
"NONONO!! I don't want to go back home!" Adri interrupted. " Nine older siblings and six younger ones are too much! And Mom's pregnant again..." Adri sighed.  
  
"Whoa! Large family! And I thought one sibling was tough enough! I see why you left!" exclaimed Lina. "Anyway, where are you going, Adri?"  
  
"Well... I was heading to Sairaag to visit a friend of my Dad's..."  
  
"Oh good! That's where we were going! Wanna tag along!?" squealed Xelona.  
  
"Ummm.. OK, I guess I can come..."  
  
Having welcomed the new party member into the group, the foursome continued on. Several hours later, as the sun sank below the horizon, a village appeared on the horizon. "Right on time for dinner! Yes! Comeoncomeoncomeonfoodfoodfooood!" yelled Lina as she dragged her fellow travelers behind her. They found the inn and went in. It was a large inn, with three stories. The bottom story was filled with a large common room while stairs lead upstairs to rooms for guests. Most of the tables were taken, but there was one table left in the corner farthest from the door. They made their way across the crowded room, stepping over several drunks who had started their drinking early. They sat down and waved to a waitress several tables over, alerting her to their presence. The waitress pried herself out of groping arms and went over to their table.  
  
"Hi there, I'm Karen. What can I get ya good folks tonight?" she said.  
  
"What's with all the people?" asked Xelloss.  
  
"Well, hon, y'all heard 'bout that beast in Sairaag?"  
  
"No..." said Lina, tentatively.  
  
"Well, hon, there's a big beast over in Sairaag that's been terrizing the town. Poor little city, been destroyed so many times. It don't need this."  
  
"The people here..." reminded Xelloss.  
  
"Oh, them? They're fighters here to kill the beast for the reward, but none have even scratched it yet. Gotten to the point they're 'fraid to even stay in Sairaag. Oh, hons, what do y'all want to eat?" Karen smiled.  
  
"....um, everything on the menu for me," said Lina, her train of thought derailed.  
  
"Just green tea for me." said Xelloss.  
  
"I'd like the beef stew, please," said Xelona.  
  
"um, I'd have the steak with a side salad," said Adri, after a little thought.  
  
"Ok, hons, I'll be back with your orders!" said Karen and she worked her way towards the kitchen. The foursome sat in relative silence for a minute, then Lina pounded her fist on the table. "Did you here that bit about the reward? That's it! We're heading to Sairaag first thing in the morning!"  
  
"um, Lina? We already were heading to Sairaag..." said Xelona, with a sweatdrop.  
  
"Oh. Well, we're definitely heading there!" Lina replied, enthusiasm not dampened in the least.  
  
"Um, I just realized something..." said Adri, scratching behind her head.  
  
All three of her companions looked at her and said "What?"  
  
"Well, this is kinda embarrassing. I kinda forgot to ask your names when we met... Who are you?"  
  
Faces hit the floor all around the table.  
  
"It took you this long to realize that?" said Lina, as she picked herself off the floor.  
  
"Well, I do sometimes forget things like that..." Adri said.  
  
"Ok, that was unexpected. Ok, I'm Xelona," said Xelona, as she settled into her chair. "That's Lina and that's my dad, Xelloss"  
  
"Ok! Problem solved!" said Adri as she leaned back.  
  
Everyone else sighed.  
  
After they had eaten, with Lina's appetite causing sweatdrops to break out across the entire inn, they rented two double bed rooms. Xelloss and Xelona went into one while Lina and Adri got the other. In the morning, after a large breakfast, they set off on their way. The sun shone bright and birds twittered in the trees. A small rabbit hopped across the path and peace ruled the pastoral land. Then the travelers noticed the smoke. Thick, dark smoke filled the air above the small city of Sairaag. There were several destroyed houses that still smoldered from a recent fire, but most of the smoke came from a large funeral pyre on the other side of the city. About thirty bodies were on the pyre and there was indication of previous pyres in the area.  
  
"They sure do have a problem! Come on, let's see what we can learn about the reward!" Lina prompted. The four people ran into the city, then Lina stopped. Right in the middle of the path, in a large intersection of two major roads, was a statue of Sylphiel. It showed her praying with the holy rod her father had given her in her hands. An inscription was on the bottom of the statue. It said  
  
"Sylphiel nels Rada, priestess of Sairaag.  
  
This gentle woman saved our town  
  
from the forces of evil.  
  
She gave her life to protect all peoples."  
  
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Author's note:  
  
That seems like a good stopping place. The Slayers don't belong to me. 


End file.
